Tarrytown, NY (PRWEB) March 29, 2016 -- The Life Support Technologies group (LST) has conducted its 34th “Introduction to Hyperbaric Medicine” course, which is accredited by both the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NDBHMT). LST provides the 40-hour course 3-4 times a year at several of its hospital partner facilities around the NY tri-state region; registration is available on-line at: http://www.lifesupport-USA.com.
Attendees successfully completed the intensive 40-hour “Introduction to Hyperbaric Medicine” course, February 26 – March 1, 2016, at the LST Partner facility, Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY. Course attendees came from the CT-NY-NJ Tri-State area, with. Course participants included Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, and Emergency Medical Technicians. Core course faculty include: Glenn J. Butler, CEO; Edward Golembe, M.D.; Donovan T. Rosas, M.D.; David Charash, D.O.; Jay G. Levine, D.P.M.; Mark Chipps, VP, CHT, EMT; Jeffrey Brenner, BFA, CHT, EMT; and Training Director Bernie Chowdhury, BA, CHT-A; all of whom are Hyperbaric Board certified.
The first LST course was developed in partnership with the late Eric P. Kindwall, M.D., author of several prominent books that continue to be used for medical training. Considered by many to be the “Father of Hyperbaric Medicine,” Dr. Kindwall was the developer and Director of courses presented by LST until 2008; his contributions to LST and to its educational programs are considerable.
Glenn Butler, LST’s founder and CEO, remarked, “This course was important to meet the increased clinical demands at Westchester Medical Center, which is a Level I Trauma facility.”
LST’s remaining two hyperbaric courses in 2016 are scheduled as follows: Virtua Hospital, Voorhees, NJ, April 14-18; Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY, Sept 23-27.
Hyperbaric Medical treatment involves putting a patient in a specially designed pressure vessel known as a hyperbaric chamber that can be pressurized greater than atmospheric pressure. The patient breathes 100% oxygen while under increased pressure. Monoplace hyperbaric chambers are the most common and are designed to treat one patient at a time. Multiplace chambers are purpose-built and can accommodate as many patients as they are built for. Hyperbaric chamber construction standards are established and published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Pressure Vessel for Human Occupancy (PVHO) Committee. Standards for in-hospital use of high-pressure oxygen and other gases, and for all aspects of safety regarding in-hospital use of hyperbaric chambers are covered by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in their manual titled NPFA-99: Health Care Facilities Code.
Currently, in the United States, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approve hyperbaric treatment for fifteen (15) medical indications. Most commercial insurance carriers follow CMS guidelines for hyperbaric treatment reimbursement. Conditions covered by CMS include: acute carbon monoxide intoxication; decompression illness; gas embolism; gas gangrene; acute traumatic peripheral ischemia; crush injuries and suturing of severed limbs; progressive necrotizing infections (necrotizing fasciitis); acute peripheral arterial insufficiency; preparation and preservation of compromised skin grafts (not for primary management of wounds); chronic refractory osteomyelitis, unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical management; osteoradionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment; soft tissue radionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment; cyanide poisoning; actinomycosis, only as an adjunct to conventional therapy when the disease process is refractory to antibiotics and surgical treatment; diabetic wounds of the lower extremities in patients who meet certain criteria.
The LST course meets CMS-mandated educational guidelines for hyperbaric education; it provides the foundation for Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Hyperbaric Technicians, and other clinical professional who are either working in, or planning to enter, the field of Hyperbaric Medicine. The course is a pathway toward achieving professional certification in this growing field.
The Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is the primary source of scientific information for diving and hyperbaric medicine physiology worldwide and functions as the governing body for the industry. Organizations that present UHMS approved courses are rigorously screened and must adhere to strict guidelines and standards.
The UHMS has accredited the course and grants physicians who attend the entire course 40 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. The NBDHMT grants 40 Continuing Education Units (CEU) to non-physicians who attend the entire course.
For more information see:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
http://www.asme.org
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
http://www.cms.gov
National Board of Diving & Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NDBHMT)
http://www.nbdhmt.org
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
http://www.nfpa.org
Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society
http://www.uhms.org/
About the Life Support Technologies Group (LST)
http://www.lifesupport-USA.com
The Life Support Technologies Group (LST) is a Tarrytown, NY-based medical and life-support / life-safety engineering company specializing in Advanced Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Services to hospitals in the NY-NJ-CT region. LST has been in business for over 20 years and currently provides services to hospitals in the U.S. northeast; clients also include NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
Glenn Butler, CEO
Life Support Technologies Group
(914) 333-8412
Bernie Chowdhury, Life Support Technologies Group, http://www.lifesupport-USA.com, +1 (914) 333-8412, [email protected]
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